Improvement in couplings for steam and air brakes



,NITEID STATES JOHN Y. SMITH, 0E PiTTsEUEe, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN COUPLINGS FOR STEAM AND AIR BRAKES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 146,367, dated January13, 18174; application filed November 1, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN Y. SMITH, of Pittsburg, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain Improvementin Hose-Couplings for Steam and Air Brakes, of which the following is aspeciiication:

This invention relates to that class of de-` vices which are used forcoupling the sections of i hose which are used for connecting the pipesused for conveying air or steam to the brake-cylinders of cars for thepurpose of automatically applying the brakes; and it consists in theconstruction, combination, and arj rangement ofthe parts of which it iscompacking for forming the joints between the parts, and theair-passages. Fig. 3 is a transverse section, showing the passages forthe air` which presses out the packing.

Corresponding letters refer to correspondingparts in the severalfigures.

In providing for the ready coupling and uncoupling of cars, which havepipes attached to them for the transmissionof steam from the generator,or air from a reservoir into which it has been compressed, Vto thebrakecylinders located upon such cars, it is essential that provisionshould be made for retaining the steam or air in the pipe of the lastcar of the train; and also to provide that when the cars are turnedaround, or their ends are changed, the coupling of the hose may beeffected without delay; and, further, that provision should be made forthe ready uncoupling of the hose in the `event of the cars of the trainbecoming parted while the train is in motion.

To provide a device which shall serve all of the purposes above named isthe object of this invention 5 and, in constructing it, I use a casemade of two sections, A and A. These sections are alike in construction,and

hence a description of one will answer fo both.

By referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the outer end ofsection A is reduced in diameter, so as to receive the end ofconnecting-hose, while its inner end is enlarged sufficiently to admitof there being formed in it a partition, B, which divides the air orsteam passage into two branches, C2 C2. "Upon the outer end of thisenlarged portion there is formed ay projection crinale portion, C, and arecess or female receptacle for the male portion C on theoppositesection.` The branch openings C2- C2 extend through the male and femaleportions, so as to allow a free `passage of air or steam from onesection of i the coupl ling to the other, they being provided with.valve-seats for the valves D D toirest upon, as shown in the drawings.The projection C is provided with an `annular recess at about the centerthereof, into'which an annular packing-ring of rubber or other elasticsubstance isinserted; and from the seat of this ring apertures areformed, which extend through the remaining portion of the metalcomposing the projection or male portion, and communicate freely withtheair or steam passage C2, in order that when air or steam is passingthrough it it may press the packing out into close contact with thefemale portion of the opposite section, and thus form a tight jointbetween the two. In each of the two sections of this couplingthere areplaced two valves, D D, they being so arranged that when air orsteamis'flowing into the coupling through the section A it shall closeone of the valves upon its seat, while the other one is pushed from itsseat by the end of the male projection on the other seetion, or by a barplaced across its outer` end,

so that the steam or air can pass throuh one of the passages only; butin the event ot' the car to which one of these sections is attachedbeing turned so as to have its ends changed, then the air or steamt willpass through theiopposite opening G2, the valves in the opposite sectionof the coupling being arranged as above described, andacting in the samemanner, the valve which in the `first instance was forced upon its seatbeing now forced from it by the inowing current, and the correspondingone in the other section will be forced to its seat, which will changethe direction of the current to the opposite passage, as shown by thearrows in Fig. 2. Each of the sections A and Al is provided with barsacross the passages and in rear of the valves, in order that the onewhich is forced from its seat by the current of the steam or air may notbe driven out ofthe passage C2, and thus prevented from opera-ting whenthe current is changed.

To provide for the uncoupling of the two sections of this device in theevent of the parting of any two cars of a train, as well as for theready uniting of the parts, one of the sections is provided with anannular projection upon its outer surface, as shown in' Fig. 1, whilethe opposite section is provided with two or more springs, E E, whichare riveted or bolted to it in such a manner that the outer hooked endsshall engage the projecting por- Jtion of the outer surface of theopposite seciion, and thus hold the two sections in position withreference to each other, but shall readily unhook, and thus permit thesections to separate, when it is desirable to have them do so.

lThe advantages of this couplingvalve are obvious, as it will be seenthat it furnishes a ready and chea-p means for connecting anddisconnecting the hose of cars which are provided with cylinders foroperating brakes,

while it at the same time provides for coupling any one car to 'eitherend of another, and this without any expense or inconvenience frombranch pipes upon any of the cars.

It is obvious that the form of the parts of this device may be changedwithout in any sense changing the invention, and hence I do not confinemyself to such form of the parts.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A hose-coupling valve consisting of two sections, each of which isprovided with two passages for air, steam, or other fluid, and withvalves which control the passage of such fluid, the valves beingarranged substantially as shown, as a consequeneerof which the directionof the current of the passing luid can be' changed, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth. y

2. The combination of the two sections of the coupling A A', having maleor projecting' portions with apertures for the passage of the iiuid, andthe annular packing-rings, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

In testimony whereof, I havesigned my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN Y. sMirn.

